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What we think
The PerfectRec TV team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Samsung QN90A has superb picture quality, with high brightness levels that make it well-suited for rooms with a lot of natural light. Its miniLED technology helps deliver deep blacks and high contrast, so it's great for watching movies in a dark room. However, it is significantly more expensive. The Sony X90L is often significantly less expensive and offers good picture quality and brightness, but might not perform as well in very bright rooms as the Samsung or deliver the same level of contrast and black levels. If your priority is top-tier visual performance and you don't mind spending more, the Samsung QN90A would be a better choice. On the other hand, if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option that still offers good overall performance, the Sony X90L could be the way to go, especially if you're using it in moderate lighting conditions. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Samsung QN90A (LCD)
- Best in class for bright room
- Very good for movies & TV
- Very good for use as monitor
- Excellent reflections
Advantages of the Sony X90L (LCD)
- Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
- Best in class for upscaling
- Best in class motion processing
Key differences
Bright Room
9.7
8.6
6.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.5/10
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
9.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.3/10
9.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the Sony X90L (LCD) is very good.
The Samsung QN90A excels in bright room viewing due to its outstanding SDR and HDR brightness, coupled with excellent performance in handling reflections, which reduces glare and maintains picture quality. On the other hand, the Sony X90L, while also having excellent SDR brightness and very good HDR brightness, struggles with reflections, making it less ideal than the Samsung for environments with lots of light.
Cost
$1,470
$998
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) has a price of $1,470 and the Sony X90L (LCD) costs $998.
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Key similarities
Picture Quality
8.1
7.8
7.00/10
CONTRAST
7.125/10
8.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.8/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Samsung QN90A (LCD) to have very good picture quality, while the Sony X90L (LCD) has good picture quality.
Movies & TV
8.0
7.6
7.00/10
CONTRAST
7.125/10
7.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.0/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Samsung QN90A (LCD) to be very good for movies & TV, while the Sony X90L (LCD) is good.
The Samsung QN90A is exceptional for watching movies and cinematic TV due to its superior local dimming and black uniformity which enhance contrast, creating deeper blacks and more vivid picture quality. On the other hand, the Sony X90L, while still providing a good experience with its high contrast and color accuracy, doesn't match the Samsung in local dimming and black uniformity, making it slightly less ideal for content where these factors are crucial.
Sports
7.0
7.2
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X90L (LCD) and Samsung QN90A (LCD) are both good for sports.
The Samsung QN90A excels with lower response time and superior motion processing, making fast-paced sports look smoother, while its capacity to handle reflections well provides a clearer picture in bright rooms. The Sony X90J, on the other hand, has better viewing angles which means you can watch the game with a group and everyone will see a good picture, but it doesn't handle motion and reflections quite as well as the Samsung.
Gaming
8.3
8.1
8.3/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.0/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
70.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
73.0/100
9.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) and Sony X90L (LCD) are both very good for gaming.
The Samsung QN90A and Sony X90L are both lauded for gaming due to their response times and refresh rates, both being considered "Very Good"; the Samsung edges out with "Best" in input lag performance over the Sony's "Good" rating, making it slightly better for fast-paced gaming.
Cartoons & Animation
8.8
8.6
7.8/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.7/10
8.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.8/10
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
9.5/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.0/10
6.4/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.6/10
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) and Sony X90L (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The Samsung QN90A excels in displaying colors straight out of the box, offering vibrant tones ideal for animated content, while the Sony X90L, though slightly less exceptional in this aspect, still delivers very good color accuracy. Both TVs have a good color gamut, ensuring that cartoons and animations are depicted with a wide range of colors, and their color volume, which is somewhat important, is very good, contributing to a rich and immersive viewing experience.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.9
9.0
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony X90L (LCD) to be excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung QN90A (LCD) is very good.
The Samsung QN90A is very good for watching news, talk shows, and other TV programs, with excellent SDR brightness and very good upscaling, ensuring clear images even from lower resolution broadcasts. The Sony X90L, while matching the excellent SDR brightness, offers even better upscaling, providing a sharper and more refined picture which makes it excellent for the same types of content, and both have very good to best color reproduction out of the box.
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How the Samsung QN90A (LCD) and the Sony X90L (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung QN90A (LCD) | Sony X90L (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,470 | $998 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 4, 2021 | August 1, 2023 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | QN65QN90A | XR-65X90L | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 65" | 65" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Tizen | Google TV | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 | |
NextGen Ready | |||
NextGen Ready | Yes | Yes | |
HDMI Ports | |||
HDMI Ports | 4 | 4 | |
Coax Ports | |||
Coax Ports | 1 | 1 | |
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Picture Quality Score | |||
Picture Quality Score | 8.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 9.8/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.4/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 8.1/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | |||
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | 32.6" x 56.9" x 1" | 32.7" x 57" x 2.2" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 35.2" x 56.9" | 34" x 57" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | 53.8 lbs | 53.4 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 400 x 300 | 300 x 300 | |
DISPLAY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Color Depth | |||
Color Depth | 10 bit | 10 bit | |
Black Frame Insertion | |||
Black Frame Insertion | Yes | Yes | |
Auto Low Latency Mode | |||
Auto Low Latency Mode | Yes | Yes | |
Contrast | |||
Contrast | 7/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Speaker Setup | |||
Speaker Setup | 4.2.2 | 2.2 | |
Speaker Power | |||
Speaker Power | 60 W | 30 W | |
Dolby Atmos | |||
Dolby Atmos | Bypass only | Yes | |
DTS:X | |||
DTS:X | No | Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only | |
Get a great deal on the Samsung QN90A (LCD) or the Sony X90L (LCD)
About Samsung
Samsung, a South Korean electronics manufacturer, holds the title of being the largest global TV vendor in terms of units sold. They offer a diverse lineup of TV products that cater to various budget ranges. A notable achievement in recent years is the development of Quantum Dots, a technology that enhances color reproduction, resulting in richer and more vibrant hues. Samsung TVs are well-regarded for their high manufacturing quality and user-friendly software, making them an excellent choice for consumers seeking an intuitive viewing experience.
About Sony
Sony stands as a highly experienced and widely trusted TV manufacturer, earning a reputation that surpasses all others. A Japanese company, Sony has been making TVs for far longs than it has been making Playstation game consoles. Sony's high-end TVs are often regarded as the ultimate choice for videophiles, representing the epitome of quality, albeit at a premium price point. Renowned for their advanced and precise motion handling, as well as their cutting-edge local dimming algorithms, Sony consistently delivers unparalleled performance in these areas. They include Google TV software with all their TV sets, which grants access to the largest selection of apps available and they also include Bravia Core which is a movie streaming platform specifically for Sony TVs that offers higher picture quality by using more bandwidth.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
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